Support and take-up device for cable-suspended electric lamps



Patented Dec. 27 1392. J. u. DORIDN.

SUPPORT AND TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR CABLE SUSPENDED ELEGTBFD LAMPS.

(Application filed June 13, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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E STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN II. DORION, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUPPORT AND TAKE-UP DEVICE FOR CABLE-SUSPENDED ELECTRIC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,607, dated December 27, 1898.

Application filed June 13, 1898. Serial No. 683,287. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. DORION, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports and Take-Up Devices for Cable-Suspended Electric Lamps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to appliances for elec tric incandescent lamps such as are held suspended by the insulated wireor cable which is therewith connected and by which the current is carried to the one and brought out from the other of the leading-in wires of the lamp.

Ileretofore in conjunction with the suspension and conductor cable for the lamp there has been combined an eye-provided take-up device through the eye or eyes of which a bight of the cable has been engaged, whereby to lengthen or shorten the cord for the purpose of sustaining the lamp at any desired height. This. appliance has been found to materially abrade and wear off the insulatingcovering for the wires comprised in the cable detrimental to the operativeness of the lamp, rendering short-circuiting liable and inuring to danger.

The object of this invention is to combine with the socket-shank or other suitable portion of the lamp an appliance which will constitute a take-up for the cable, which is capable of easier and quicker operation or adj ustment, which avoids the liability to abrade the insulation of the cable, and which, moreover, renders it possible and convenient to conveniently and satisfactorily support the lamp on or by any available object, so that the illumination afforded by the lamp may be the best placed for any special purpose.

The invention consists in a device having the parts and features arranged for operation, all substantially as hereinafter described, and set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the appliance for the electric incandescent lamp applied thereon and indicatingthe manner of its utilization as a take-up for shortening or adjusting the length of the connection-cable for the lamp. Fig. 2 is a sectional view in detail across the clamping-jaws.

In the drawings, A represents the lamp, of which 13 is its socket, extending to connection with which is the cable 0, understood as comprising the insulated wires, as usual, for the lamp. These parts, which are as usual, are indicated in the drawings in dotted lines, while the improved appliance is shown by the full lines, and in said appliance D represents a clasp or holder having spring-constrictive capability for more or less nearly encircling the lamp-socket B for firm retention thereon, and supported by this holder D are the portions of the device comprising the jaws E E, one of which is movable toward and from the other, the jaw-operating lever-arms F F, and

the spring G, the action of which is to normally maintain the one jaw with a suitable yielding pressure toward or against the other.

The device comprises, furthermore, in addition to the holder, the jaws, and the jaw-oper= atinghandle orhandles, the extension H, comprising a hook J, with preferably the sharpened end j.

Assuming that the lamp is suspended by the cord depending and distended for its whole length and it is desired to elevate the lamp, it is only necessary to engage the jaws E E with a suitable intermediate part of the cord above the lamp, as indicated by the drawings. This maybe most readilyperformed, as manifest.

The clamping-jawsprovided on the lamp may at times be utilized for supporting the lampin some desired special position-as, for instance, where the lamp is suspended about a desk the jaws E E may embrace the partition-wall of some one of the several pigeonholes, whereby the lamp has its position to best suit the person working at the desk. The person working at a machine adjacent which the lamp is provided suspended may clamp the same to his clothing, so that the lamp has a position in front of him best adapted to throw the light forward, or he may, bymeans of the constrictive jaws, clamp the lamp upon the rim or visor of his hat or cap. Of course an infinite number of other situations and conditions different from these mentioned may arise in which the clamping-jaws will be found useful adjuncts to the lamp.

In cases where the clamp-jaws are not available the extension device may be employed to sustain the lamp either by hooking it around any suitable object for support or by supporting the lamp through the extension H by forcing its point into the woodwork or other supporting object readily penetrable.

As shown in the drawings, the lamp-embracing clamp or holder D and the hooked extension and also the constrictive jaws E E, the levers for operating them, and the spring for maintaining them closed are all formed of spring-wire. This may advantageously be accomplished by taking two sections of wire, the first being by its middle portion bent to form the coils, having portions intermediate between the coils and the ends of the wire suitably oppositely extended and return bent to produce the levers while the extremities of the wire brought opposite each other are suitably widened or shaped to form the jaws of considerable width. The other section of wire is doubled on itself and the so-doubled wire, furthermore, having the coils or eyes (Z (Z to engage the wire forming the shank of one of the jaws E, is bent around to form a yoke having an embrace of something more than half of a circle,while the one end portion of this second section is utilized in its extension for the production of a spike and hook.

The one jaw E and the lever portion F at the same side as such jaw, which is toward and against the lamp, may be substantially immovable, the one portion F constituting a resistant for hearing against the lamp, the outer jaw and lever having their movement relatively thereto.

I have devised and produced the appliance having all and the same capabilities as the one illustrated and described from sheet metal, and I, furthermore, have found that the device may be advantageously and economically produced by making the jaws and lever extensions of wood, with an interposed uniting and pivotal spring having combined therewith a metallic holder for encircling the lamp neck or socket, constructed with an extension-hook with a sharpened end.

The gripping-faces of the jaws may be bushed with rubber, felt, soft leather, or any suitable cushioning material g, whereby the abrading effect imparted by the jaws maybe greatly lessened.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device of the character described, a holder or clasp for a detachable, encircling, constrictive engagement about the shank of an electric-lamp socket provided with two jaws, adapted when open to leave an unobstructed opening for the entrance of an object therebetween, jaw-operating members and jaw-closing springs, for the purposes set forth.

2. A holder or clasp adapted for a detachable encircling constrictive engagement about the shank of a cable-supported electric lamp, having the jaws E E, each having a handle or lever extension F F, an intermediate jaw-closing spring, and having the hook-formed extension, substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with a clasp formed of a length of wire, bent on itself, and having both portions thereof curved to constitute a detachable encircling yoke for the lamp-shank, of the jaw-aud-lever device consisting of a second length of wire having an intermediate part thereof formed into the spring-coils having portions between the coils and the ends bent to constitute the handle or lever members and having the extremities formed to constitute opposing jaws, said second wireformed device being connected with and supported by the wire-formed clasp, substantially as described.

Signed by me,at Springfield,l\Iassachusetts, this 9th day of June, 1898.

JOHN H. DORION.

IVitnesses:

WVM. S. BELLows, M. A. CAMPBELL. 

